Packaging for laminar objects with improved opening properties

ABSTRACT

A primary packaging for laminar objects is disclosed, comprising an upper ( 3 ) and a lower strip ( 2 ). The fusion of the strips ( 2, 3 ) encloses an inner region, suitable for accepting a laminar object and comprises, in the outer areas of said strips, regions where both packaging strips are not joined to each other and where said strips are not congruently arranged one on the other.

[0001] The invention relates to the packaging of sheet-like articles,for example film-like or oblate-like medicaments, which are alsoreferred to as wafers.

[0002] Film-like or oblate-like medicaments for oral administration areknown, for example, from DE-A 24 32 925 A1 and EP 219 762 B1. Theydiffer from conventional solid presentation forms such as tablets orcapsules, in particular, by their geometrical shape and theirflexibility. These wafers thus generally have a surface area of betweenapproximately 2 and approximately 20 cm² and only have a thickness ofbetween 50 and 500 μm. On account of this low thickness, these wafersare generally also very flexible. In addition, many are mukoadhesive,which, in the case of oral intake, results in this presentation formadhering to the roof of the mouth.

[0003] Such wafers are packaged in plastic containers as are known, forexample, from U.S. Pat. No. Design 371,723. It is also possible for suchwafers to be packaged in a blister pack (so-called thermoformed pack).These are known, for example, from GB-A 2,311,760 A. Finally, it is alsopossible for these wafers to be packaged in a sealed bag comprising twoidentical layers. From the point of view of the material required andthe ease of production, this solution is the most advantageous in mostcases. A corresponding primary pack is described in U.S. Pat. No.3,007,848.

[0004] However, difficulties may arise as these packs are opened since,on account of the small surface area and the low height, they aredifficult to grip. A pack which encloses the wafer between two sheetshas thus been developed, the top web and bottom web being located oneabove the other and being connected to one another such that, on the onehand, by a composite arrangement of the webs, the wafer is sufficientlyprotected and, on the other hand, on the borders, there are locations atwhich the two webs are not connected to one another. It is possible forthe individual webs to be gripped here in order for the pack to be tornopen more easily. This solution is described in DE-A 198 00 692 A1.

[0005] A further disadvantage exhibited by primary packs which areproduced from two identical or two different packaging-material webs isthat the force which has to be applied in order to open these packs mayresult in the sensitive wafer possibly being damaged.

[0006] However, since the packaging-material webs are usually extremelythin and, in part, transparent, it may be very laborious, in particularfor the elderly, to grip the top web and bottom web individually inorder to tear open the primary pack.

[0007] The object of the invention is thus to make available a primarypack for sheet-like articles which allows the top packaging-material weband the bottom packaging-material web to be gripped separately in aparticularly straightforward manner and thus ensures easy opening of theprimary pack.

[0008] The object is achieved by a primary pack for sheet-like articleswhich comprises a top web and a bottom web, the top web and the bottomweb of the primary pack not being located congruently one above theother. By virtue of the composite arrangement of the webs, on the onehand, the sheet-like article (wafer) is sufficiently protected, and ispreferably sealed in in an air-tight manner, and, on the other hand, theprimary pack has, at least on an outer region of one web of thecomposite web arrangement, locations at which the two packaging-materialwebs are not connected to one another and at which the webs are notlocated congruently one above the other. There are thus regions in whichonly one of these packaging-material webs is present.

[0009] This makes it possible to achieve the situation where eachindividual packaging-material web of the composite web arrangement inthe primary pack can be gripped at its outer region by the thumb andindex finger of one hand in each case. The advantage of the primary packaccording to the invention, then, is that the thumb and index finger ofthe one hand which the user uses to grip a packaging-material web is notlocated in the immediate vicinity of the thumb and the index finger ofthe other hand. Instead, during opening of the primary pack according tothe invention, the thumb and index finger of one hand are all setspatially (to the rear and/or laterally) in relation to the thumb andindex finger of the other hand. This results in a considerable reductionin the spatial loading in the outer region of the packaging-materialwebs during the opening of the primary pack, which ultimately results inthe action of opening the primary pack being considerably easier.

[0010] It is possible, finally, in this way to solve the problem ofmaking it easier to separate the top and bottom webs of a sealed primarypack for sheet-like articles (wafers).

[0011] The following definitions serve for explaining the subject matteraccording to the invention and the use thereof.

[0012] Sheet-like articles (1) within the context of the presentinvention is to be understood as a three-dimensional article which, inone dimension, has a very small extent relative to the two otherdimensions. The actual measurements of said sheet-like article are notparticularly critical for this invention, but sheet-like articles whichhave a length of between approximately 1 and 20 cm, a width of [lacuna]approximately 0.5 and 10 cm and a thickness of from approximately 50 μmto 1 cm are preferred. Thus, a sheet-like article within the context ofthe present invention may also assume the form and the dimensions of aconventional tablet or capsule in the pharmaceutical sector.Particularly preferred, however, are sheet-like articles of which themeasurements are at the lower level of said dimensions, because theseare generally more and more difficult to handle, with the result thatthe advantages of the invention can be used particularly effectivelyhere. Such particularly preferred sheet-like articles have a length ofbetween approximately 1 and 3 cm, a width of [lacuna] approximately 0.5and 2 cm and a thickness of from approximately 50 μm to 500 μm.

[0013] The nature of the sheet-like article is not critical for theinvention. The articles are preferably ones which, for various reasons,have to be packaged in an air-tight manner and/or individually. Thesearticles may be foodstuffs, medicaments, wipes, plastic cards,biologically active material (adhesive) labels, TTSs, etc. Presentationforms for oral application, which may also contain physiological orpharmaceutical active ingredients, are preferred.

[0014] The primary pack comprises a top packaging-material web (3) and abottom packaging-material web (2), which has regions (5) which are inintimate contact with one another. Since the bottom packaging-materialweb (2) and the top packaging-material web (3) are connected to oneanother here, this gives a composite arrangement of the toppackaging-material web and bottom packaging-material web which enclosesan inner region (4) which is capable of accommodating the sheet-likearticle. The inner region (4) may be airtight if the region (5) forms acontinuous line (weld seam). It is also possible, however, for the innerregion (4) to be open if, for example, the region (5) is only ofpunctiform design.

[0015] The intimate contact in the region (5) is preferably produced byheat-sealing or cold-sealing. The strength of the contact may be set tothe requirements of the sheet-like article (1) and of the force requiredfor opening purposes. The strength of this contact is preferably suchthat said intimate contact can be eliminated upon application of atensile force which can easily be applied by an adult, without theindividual packaging-material webs being destroyed in the process. Theperson skilled in the art refers to this property as peelable.

[0016] The measurements of the inner region (4), which is capable ofaccommodating at least one sheet-like article (1), are adapted to themeasurements of the sheet-like structure which is to be packaged, andare generally only slightly larger. In the inner region (4), thepackaging-material webs are not in contact with one another.

[0017] The materials of the packaging-material webs (2, 3) which can beused within the context of the production of a primary pack according tothe invention are the conventional materials which are known forproducing sealed bags and blister packs. These include, for example,polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP),OPA, polyacrylate (PA), EVOH, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA),EC, Barex, Surlyn, paper, aluminum and combinations of these materials.

[0018] It is also possible, however, for the top web and bottom web eachto be formed as composite materials comprising two or more layers of theabovementioned materials and, if appropriate, further materials. It isalso possible for one or both webs to be designed as a thermoformedblister base.

[0019] The primary pack according to the invention is characterized inthat the top packaging-material web (3) and the bottompackaging-material web (2) each have at least one outer region which islocated on the border of the region (5) in which the toppackaging-material web and the bottom packaging-material web are inintimate contact with one another. In said two outer regions, the toppackaging-material web (3) and the bottom packaging-material web (2) arenot in contact with one another. Furthermore, they are formed such thatthey are not located congruently one above the other in the primarypack. This fact makes it possible for an individual to use one hand togrip the outer region of the bottom packaging-material web (2) and, atthe same time, to use the other hand to grip the outer region of the toppackaging-material web (3). By applying a corresponding tensile force,it is possible, finally, in this case for the pack to be torn openeasily.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the primary pack may be of multi-copydesign, e.g. with 2, 5, 6 or 10 individual primary packs which arearranged parallel to one another and are separated from one another bypredetermined braking lines (6), e.g. a notched line or a perforation.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the coloring of, or the printing on, thetop packaging-material web (3) differs from the coloring of, or theprinting on, the bottom packaging-material web (2).

[0022] A primary pack according to the invention may be produced asfollows:

EXAMPLE 1 Production of a Primary Pack

[0023] First of all a web which serves as bottom packaging-material webis supplied and possibly provided with a contour. The latter ispreferably punched in the outer region of the bottom packaging-materialweb by means of a rotary cutting roller. Individual wafers are thenpositioned on the bottom packaging-material web. In a following step,the [sic] the top packaging-material web is unrolled from a supply rolland guided onto the bottom packaging-material web provided with theindividual wafers. These webs located one above the other are guidedinto a contour press, in which preferably a closed contour is punched.This produces a closed inner region in which the wafer is located. Onceany projecting border which may be present has been separated off, ifappropriate a perforation is stamped into the region located between twoindividual primary packs. Finally, the primary packs may be separated.

[0024] List of designations:

[0025] 1=sheet-like article

[0026] 2=bottom packaging-material web

[0027] 3=top packaging-material web

[0028] 4=inner region of the primary pack

[0029] 5=region between top packaging-material web and bottompackaging-material web in which said webs are in intimate contact withone another

[0030] 6=predetermined breaking line as separating aid for individualprimary packs of multi-copy design

[0031] Embodiments of the primary pack according to the invention forsheet-like articles will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0032]FIG. 1 shows the side view of a primary pack according to theprior art in which the top packaging-material web (3) and the bottompackaging-material web (2) are located congruently one above the other.

[0033]FIG. 2 shows plan views of three different embodiments of theprimary pack according to the invention in which the toppackaging-material web (3) and the bottom packaging-material web (2) arenot located congruently one above the other. The outer regions of thebottom packaging-material web (2) project beyond the outer region of thetop packaging-material web (3). The lateral outer boundary may berectilinear or cut in the form of an arc.

[0034]FIG. 3 shows a primary pack in a five-copy embodiment. Thenon-congruent overlapping of the bottom packaging-material web (2) bythe top packaging-material web (3) is brought about by a wave-form cutwhich, in terms of frequency and phase, has been adapted to the width ofthe individual primary pack. The individual primary packs are separatedfrom one another by predetermined breaking lines (6).

[0035]FIG. 4 shows a primary pack in a five-copy embodiment. Thenon-congruent overlapping of the bottom packaging-material web (2) bythe top packaging-material web (3) is brought about by a wave-form cutwhich, in terms of frequency, is adapted to the width of the individualprimary pack but has been displaced by half a wavelength.

[0036]FIG. 5 shows a primary pack in a five-copy embodiment. Thenon-congruent overlapping of the bottom packaging-material web (2) bythe top packaging-material web (3) is brought about by a wave-form cutof which the wavelength corresponds to the width of two individualprimary packs.

[0037]FIG. 6 shows a primary pack in a six-copy embodiment. Thenon-congruent overlapping of the bottom packaging-material web (2) bythe top packaging-material web (3) is brought about by a rectilinear cutwhich begins at the region of intimate contact between the toppackaging-material web and bottom packaging-material web of the firstprimary pack and runs to the diagonally-apposite end of the outerregion.

[0038]FIG. 7 shows a primary pack as in FIG. 6 but with non-congruentoverlapping of the bottom packaging-material web (2) by the toppackaging-material web (3) only on one side.

[0039]FIG. 8 shows a primary pack with non-congruent overlapping of thebottom packaging-material web (2) by the top packaging-material web (3)on one side. The lateral outer boundary of the two webs in this casecorresponds to a wave-form cut with the same frequency. Offsetting thetop packaging-material web (3) in relation to the bottompackaging-material web (2) by one phase brings about the non-congruentoverlapping of the two webs.

1. A primary pack comprising a bottom packaging-material web (2) and atop packaging-material web (3) the packaging-material webs havingregions (5) which are in intimate contact with one another, and theregions (5) enclosing an inner region (4) which is capable ofaccommodating a sheet-like article, wherein the bottompackaging-material web (2) and the top packaging-material web (3) eachhave at least one outer region on the border of the region (5) in whichthe packaging-material webs are not in contact with one another and arenot located congruently one above the other.
 2. The primary pack asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the contour of the outer region of the toppackaging-material web (3) and/or the contour of the outer region of thebottom packaging-material web (2) have/has a curved, a wave-form orserrated profile.
 3. The primary pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesurface area of the outer region of the top packaging-material web (3)is larger than the surface area of the outer region of the bottompackaging-material web (2).
 4. The primary pack as claimed in claim 1,wherein the surface area of the outer region of the toppackaging-material web (3) is smaller than the surface area of the outerregion of the bottom packaging-material web (2).
 5. The primary pack asclaimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the packaging-materialwebs contain polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET),polypropylene (PP), OPA, polyacrylate (PA), EVOH, ethylene/vinyl acetatecopolymers (EVA), EC, Barex, Surlyn, paper, aluminum or combinations ofthese materials.
 6. The primary pack as claimed in one of the precedingclaims, wherein the color of the top packaging-material web (3) differsfrom that of the bottom packaging-material web (2).